STUDY OF POLARIZATION OF ATMOSPHERIC SCATTERED LIGHT USING MONTE CARLO METHODS,
Abstract
The effects of polarization on light scattered within pure Rayleigh and combined Rayleigh and aerosol atmospheres were studied with a modified version of the LITE-II Monte Carlo program. Routines treating both Rayleigh and aerosol scattering in the Monte Carlo procedure were modified in order to be able to compute each of the four Stokes parameters for atmospheric scattered light. The methods used to transform the Stokes parameters through the angle phi between the reference plane and the scattering plane are those given by Chandrasekhar for elliptically polarized light. From the computed values of the Stokes parameters, the degree of polarization of the scattered light intensity is obtained for each of several solid-angle intervals at a given receiver position. LITE-II calculations of the Stokes parameters Q, U, and I and the degree of polarization for Rayleigh atmospheres are compared with values of the same parameters reported by Coulson, Dave, and Sekera. The results of LITE-II calculations for an atmosphere containing aerosol particles are also compared with similar data from calculations reported by Fraser. The results of these comparisons indicated the validity of the methods incorporated for treating polarization due to both Rayleigh and aerosol scattering. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 31, 1968
- Accession Number
- AD0675152
Entities
People
- Dave G. Collins